Saffron blossoms in Kashmir |
13 kilometers south of Srinagar city in the Union territory of Jammu & Kashmir, is the town of Pampore. Every autumn, the town turns into a carpet of purple from the thousands of fallen saffron blooms. Men, women, and children, brave the chilly mornings to pick the flowers with baskets in hand. Only the stigmas of each bloom are taken out painstakingly and dried to get the fragrant strands that are among the most expensive spices in the world. About 50,000 flowers yield roughly 500g of the spice. Kashmir grows the world`s best saffron, which is a luxury ingredient not just in kitchens but in the beauty industry as well. In Kashmir, saffron goes into Kong Kehwa, a delicious local tea. Across India, it`s an integral condiment in many dishes ranging from biryani to kheer and prized in Mediterranean, Spanish, Moroccan, and Arab kitchens too. It also goes into face creams, soaps, and perfumes. Introduced in Kashmir by the Mughals, the once prized possession of the world, today faces a grave threat from Iranian and Spanish imports, which sell at less than half the price of the local variety. However, the ₹372 crore National Saffron Mission, launched in 2010, has covered 1,400 hectares and has helped the Kashmiri growers to produce with new technology and equipment, and by teaching farmers modern sowing techniques.
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